


No Pressure

by itmightgetweird



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Marvel Universe, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 19:53:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11607816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itmightgetweird/pseuds/itmightgetweird
Summary: You just needed someone to act as a barrier between you and an unwanted encounter with an ex.





	No Pressure

**Author's Note:**

> There's a split second of a secondary character grabbing the reader, but it ends quickly and the reader isn't harmed.

Steve was having one of those days where the fact that he couldn’t get drunk on ordinary alcohol was a real drag. The mission he’d just returned from had been kind of rough; their lead on a HYDRA base was incomplete and they’d essentially walked into a trap.

The good news was that everyone came home. The flip side was that most of them were pretty banged up. Sam ended up with some bruised ribs, Wanda sprained an ankle and had a terrible migraine, a bullet grazed Clint’s calf. Everyone had a generous coating of bruises and scrapes. Even Steve left with a sore wrist and a limp, though he was lucky; he’d be fine by morning.

There was an aggravating mix of opposing thoughts floating through his head. He didn’t want to hover around his injured teammates like a mother hen, even though he cared for their well-being more than his own. He also didn’t want them to blame him for the mission’s problems, so he figured he’d get out of the tower. But even that came with the feeling that he was running from the reality of how the day unfolded.

That was how he found himself at a little hole-in-the-wall bar a few miles from the downtown area. He was nursing his second beer and staring at a tv on the wall when he heard the chair next to him slide out. He glanced away from the baseball game he was only half paying attention to and saw you settling into the space beside him. He almost went back to watching the game until he noticed the slight shake off your hands.

He opened his mouth to say something but you cut him off.

“I know you don’t know me, but you’d really be doing me a solid by pretending we’re here together. I’ll buy your next drink, I just…” You trailed off and glanced over your shoulder, eyes scanning the entrance to the room.

Steve turned just as another man opened the door. As he began to look around the room, you flinched slightly and turned to face forward again.

“Are you being followed?” Steve asked, seamlessly slipping into Captain mode.

You looked up at him for a split second before training your eyes back on the bar top. “Crazy ex,” was all you offered as an explanation. You barely even looked up when the bartender asked if you wanted a drink, simply mumbling “Not yet,” before lowering your eyes again.

Steve slid his left arm behind you to rest on the back of your chair, hoping it looked casual enough to anyone paying attention. “Want me to talk to him?”

Your eyes widened as you looked up again. “You don’t have.. I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“It’s not a problem, ma'am. I can’t just-”

“Y/N.”

“Sorry?”

“That’s my name. Not ma'am, please. I’m not nearly old enough for that.”

Steve chuckled and brought his right hand across his body toward you. “Steve. Nice to meet you.”

You grabbed his hand as a look of recognition crossed your face and shock took over, causing you to pull away. “Oh God, you’re Steve Rogers. I’m so sorry. I didn’t… I didn’t mean to interrupt-”

“It’s alright, doll; don’t.. you’re not interrupting. Maybe it’ll be the first thing I manage to not mess up today.”

Your expression softened as you looked at him and he shifted in his seat.

“Not that you want to hear about that.”

You gave him a small smile. “Well, you’re helping me out by being a buffer so the least I could do is listen if you want to vent. No pressure or anything, but I’m a great listener.”

Steve sighed. “Just had a difficult job today, is all. We got kinda banged up.”

“Why do you look like you’re blaming yourself?”

“Ah. The benefits of being Captain,” he said as he raised his beer back to his lips.

“You can’t keep every-”

“Sweetheart, hey. Can we talk?”

Steve looked to the side when a new voice cut through your own. He immediately noticed the way you not only tensed up, but the way you scooted just a little closer to him.

The guy finally looked down, eyes narrowing when he saw Steve’s arm resting on your chair. He let out a bitter laugh. “You here on a date or something?”

“It’s none of your business,” you said.

“The hell it’s not.”

“It’s not! I’ve been telling you it’s not your business for a month now!”

“And I’ve been telling you we need to talk.”

Steve shifted in his chair, about to stand up. He knew his height and body mass would dwarf this guy, and he had no problem using that to his advantage. But when you put your hand on his knee and pushed down, he got the hint that you didn’t need him yet.

You took a deep breath in through your nose and squared your shoulders before glaring daggers straight through the guy. Steve had no idea how the poor idiot didn’t seem remotely bothered by the stare. Sure you were small, but he knew that look from a woman. He’d been on the receiving end of it before.

“We don’t need to talk. Ever again. I told you it’s over and I’m not changing my mind,” you said, raising your hand to point at him. “You’re toxic and-”

Your voice cut off when the guy grabbed your wrist. And that was the moment Steve couldn’t hold back anymore. He stood from the chair and he was right–he towered over the guy. He dropped your wrist immediately and opened his mouth.

Maybe he was going to argue or try to back track, Steve wasn’t sure. Because the next second, you’d pulled your fist back and swung at the guy’s face, completely catching him off guard and sending him stumbling back into the table behind him.

He brought his hand up and rubbed his jaw and Steve found himself smirking at the red mark that was already obvious on his face.

“Go home. Quit following me,” you said.

At least the guy had the decency to keep his mouth shut. Steve probably would’ve decked him again if he kept going.

Once the guy removed himself from the bar, Steve sat back down with a grin on his face. “Y'know, sometimes I forget dames can take care of themselves. Wait, that.. not that you don’t look like you can. That’s not what I meant. I-” He huffed as he brought his hand up to drag down his face. How was this still something he struggled with?

You laughed. “Don’t hurt yourself.”

“Still can’t talk to women,” he said, shaking his head. “I meant that I shouldn’t assume you can’t handle yourself.”

“Well, I couldn’t be a wuss in front of Captain America, could I?” You shook your hand and flexed your fingers a couple times. “Honestly, it was easier to hold my ground with another person here. So thanks.”

Steve’s reply was cut off when the bartender came back around and set a shot glass on the bar in front of you. “It’s on the house, love. You deserve it.”

An adorable blush covered your cheeks as you thanked the bartender and Steve couldn’t stop the smile that appeared because of it.

He was pleasantly surprised when you decided to hang around for a while to keep him company; it kept him from beating himself up too much about how his day started.

A couple hours later the two of you were standing outside the bar, enjoying both the comfortable silence and the nice evening breeze.

“You need a ride home or anything?” Steve asked.

“I only live a couple blocks away so I think I’ll be fine,” you said, staring down at the crumpled napkin in your hand. “Plus, I punched a guy earlier–in case you missed it.” You emphasized your excitement by playfully flexing your bicep.

Steve laughed. “Oh, I saw it. I have full faith in your capabilities.”

“Good,” you said with a smile. “Well Steve, it was nice meeting you, but I should be going.”

You stuck out your palm for another handshake and as soon as Steve’s hand was in yours, you tugged him down and placed a kiss on his cheek.

He knew his face was pink as you retracted your hand and took a couple steps back away from him. Your smile became shy as you raised your hand slightly in a wave, then turned around completely and walked away from him. It took him a couple seconds to realize you’d left the crumpled napkin in his hand.

“Hey wait. What’s this?”

You turned your head to look over your shoulder. “It’s called a phone number, Captain. Use it if you want. No pressure."


End file.
